Trump says Mamdani has ‘great potential’ after Gracie Mansion visit

NEW YORK — President Trump offered rare praise of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) Monday, saying he has “great potential.”

The two leaders chatted inside Gracie Mansion before holding a press conference ahead of Tuesday’s United Nations General Assembly in the city.

“No, I certainly hope he will be a great mayor,” Trump said when asked about Mamdani. “You have to understand — I want what’s good for New York. I want what’s good for the country.”

“So, if I had a choice of having him be a bad mayor or horrible mayor, I don’t want that,” he continued. “I want him to be a great mayor, and he’s certainly got potential and great potential.”

Trump earlier Monday said Gracie Mansion is one of his “favorite places in the World.”

“I spent lots of hours there over the years, with some great Mayors, some average Mayors, and some bad Mayors,” he wrote on Truth Social. “It will be interesting to see how it looks now, invited by Mayor Mamdani.”

He added that was looking “forward” to Monday’s visit.

Trump had repeatedly hit the democratic socialist mayor over his left-wing politics in the lead-up to the election last year.

He and Mamdani met in the Oval Office later that month for a meeting that was more cordial than most expected.

Since then, the president has been critical of some of Mamdani’s policies, accusing him of “destroying” the city with his new proposed tax on second homes.